Eighth-grade science teacher Davis Loafman teaches class.
On April 2, teachers all over Oklahoma will be walking out.
The reasons for this is to get a pay raise, which they stop getting after a certain time, in this case it’s been ten years. Now to be clear this is walk out not a strike.
Davis Loafman, a teacher for one year at DMS, is sad that it has come to this point, where teachers have to walk out to get a raise. Loafman also thinks this will slow preparation for testing.
He also has a second job at a funeral parlor because he doesn’t make enough teaching.
Oklahoma is also at the lowest income in the country for teaching.
Wade Hampton, the head principal at DMS, supports the teachers 100 percent.
If the legislation does not meet the teachers demands in time, the school board will have to suspend school for a few days. If this should happen, it would force the students of DMS to take their state tests at a later date, since April 2 is when the testing window opens.
According to Hampton, this is not good for the students.
Many teachers at DMS plan to walk out “for the students.”
Sonia Norton, a teacher at DMS for 39 years, plans to walk out. Norton is also the president of the Association of Duncan Educators, which works closely with the Oklahoma Education Association.
“We’re walking out for the students so we can have fully certified teachers, and they won’t and so we can do more with the students.”
It has been a full 10 years since Nortons last pay raise. Since any teacher in Oklahoma received a pay raise.
Teachers salary wouldn’t be a problem if “things weren’t so expensive now days,” and they could actually live off their salaries, Norton said. Some teachers have to work extra jobs to support themselves and their families.
For information about the walkout, check out the Oklahoma Education Association webpage focusing on the Together We Are Stronger Campaign. If you have thoughts about the possible teacher walkout, email the Demon Direct at [email protected].
